I spent a long time considering how I could express my concise convictions and guiding principles in living and working with dogs. 

 

I think the best way to do this is to briefly describe what I want to achieve in our joint collaboration:

You will develop an awareness and sensitivity for your dog; a holistic understanding and recognition of your particular dog's history, personality and needs. 

 

You will learn how you can promote your dog's individuality and personality by giving him the opportunity to deal with our world in a species-typical and appropriate way, with your guidance and support, and by letting your dog develop and grow from valuable experiences. 

 

You will acquire a balanced way of dealing with your dog's unique idiosyncrasies, and learn to understand the motives behind the behavior, rather than just wanting to "switch off" behavior and quirks you might misunderstand (and perhaps you'll even learn to embrace them). 

 

You will become proficient at communicating with your dog, with no misunderstandings.

A “framework for discussion” and clear behaviors from your side, will create the basis for the trust you need to build in order to grow your relationship. 

 

It’s difficult to avoid media ideas and commonly-held opinions about how dogs should behave and function in our society these days.

We seem to be losing our connection to our own pets more and more, and can therefore no longer trust our intuition.

 

So many exclusive methods, ideologies, firm belief structures, and philosophies...

And yet, it's impossible to squeeze individual dogs into a "one-size-fits-all" approach. 

In my opinion, every dog, every person, every dog-human relationship, is far too complex and unique for such an approach. 

 

Fortunately, this is exactly why there are so many new possibilities, and individual approaches, that lead to a common goal. 

 

I would be delighted to help you find your path, and I will walk beside you while you embark on your unique journey, calmly and courageously.